Heartbeat
by Quandosonosolo
Summary: Sasuke has returned to Konoha, but only to satisfy Itachi's last wish. Sakura has been given the job of "caretaker" for the young Uchiha on house arrest. After Sakura tries a new jutsu, her and Sasuke seem to sync together in more ways than one.
1. You're Acting Like You're On Your Own

Summary: Sasuke has returned to Konoha, but only to satisfy Itachi's last wish. Sakura has been given the job of "caretaker" for the young Uchiha. After Sakura tries a new jutsu, her and Sasuke seem to sync together in more ways than one.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Sucks, bro.**

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><p><strong>You're Acting Like You're On Your Own<strong>

A few clouds drifted steadily, traveling across the vast sky. A young woman sat, looking out a large, agape window. Her uniquely colored hair fluttered in the light breeze that made its way through the wide aperture. The bright sun warmed her strong shoulders as she turned from the pleasant view to come face-to-face with a pile of paper work.

"Ahh, why do I have to be stuck inside when the day's so beautiful?" Haruno Sakura sighed heavily as she stared down at the medical form in front of her. True, it was her job to look over every special case handled by Konoha hospital, but Sakura could not help but feel a little stir crazy.

Not only was this the first day of summer, but it was also the first day of Uchiha Sasuke's house arrest. The young man had spent one month solid in the Konoha prison. It would be a major relief to be allowed to at least serve his sentence in his own courters.

Yes, Sasuke had returned to Konoha. It had been purely for the sake of his brother's last wish. Itachi- the man that beckoned Sasuke to leave and return again…what an ironic twist of fate.

Sakura could see the tension in Sasuke from the moment he stepped through Konoha's gate. It was obvious to anyone who laid eyes on the young Uchiha- he did not want to be here. While Naruto was able to ease the anger that built up within his best friend, he was not able to erase the village's blemished past; it's cruel injustices. Sasuke may have helped finish off Uchiha Madara. He may have been able to quell some of his inner demons and he may have agreed to honor his brother's wish, but he was not able to forget. He would never forget.

After yet another heavy sigh, Sakura forced herself to tear her thoughts from the handsome Uchiha and return to her work.

OOO

Uchiha Sasuke looked down at his shackled hands. He sat, back against the stone wall, looking through the small window that graced the dreary cell. The only light given besides the few rays that made its way through the window was provided by a gas lamp standing on the table outside his confines.

"Oi, Uchiha!" The guard-ono-Sasuke believed he was called, stood in front of the locked cell. "It's time for you to get the hell outta here." Ono sniffed and wiped his pug noise. "Hahaha, who would have thought this day, would come so quickly, eh? To tell you the truth, you've gotta be one of my favorite prisoners! No yelling, no fuss! You just sit and glare. Yup, no hassle!"

Sasuke sighed and looked up at the window once more. At least it was sunny out.

OOO

"Damn it." Sasuke glared out at the torrential down pour that drenched him to the core. This could have been avoided if it hadn't taken so long to get discharged. It's not his fault the guard was an incompetent idiot who could barely walk straight, never mind fill out paper work.

"There you go again with the glaring. You're gonna have some serious wrinkles when you're older."

Sasuke turned his head and scowled, "Just get me home."

OOO

Pink hair lay strewn across a wooden desk. A blond woman stood at the entrance to the room. Her large chest heaved in a discontented sigh.

"Sakura, what the hell do you think you're doing? Get up at once!"

The medic shot up, papers flew and pencils broke in half as Sakura slammed her hands down on the now cracked desk.

"Yes, sir! Ma'am! Tsunade-Shishou!"

The Godaime stiffened; an eye switched ever so slightly, "Yes…well, I have an important mission for you, Sakura."

"Shishou?"

"A certain Uchiha has just been escorted back to his compound." Tsunade shifted and walked from the doorframe towards Sakura. "Since he is on house arrest, he will need a caretaker of sorts; someone who will take care of any needs that requires leaving the compound such as grocery shopping or to replenish household items. Above all, he needs someone who will watch him, asses his behavior and ease him back into society."

Realization dawned on Sakura. Her master didn't even have to say the words.

"Sakura, I trust that you can be this person for Sasuke. The person who watches over him"

"Of course."_ Haven't I always been?_

"Excellent. He should be at the Uchiha compound by now." The older woman handed Sakura a sheet of paper containing bulleted instructions. "Go over these rules with the Uchiha. Make him absolutely and thoroughly aware of what will happen should he break even one."

The blond woman retracted her hand as Sakura took the paper. A shiver ran down the younger girl's spine. If Sakura knew one thing, it was not to mess with her shishou.

OOO

As Sakura began her walk toward the Uchiha compound, she took out the sheet Tsunade had given her. The rain beat down as Sakura did her best to cover the thin paper with her cloak. Perhaps analyzing the details of this "mission" would calm Sakura's nerves. How long had it been since she and Sasuke had a moment alone together?

**1. At no point shall Uchiha Sasuke be permitted to leave the compound unless instructed by Shizune or myself.**

_Okay, simple enough._

**2. Uchiha Sasuke shall not be allowed on missions until after his six week sentence is fulfilled.**

_Only six weeks? Shishou is playing nice._

**3. Visitors are allowed. The boy needs to learn some social skills. Take it upon yourself to make him as uncomfortable as possible around company. **

_Oh great. I'm supposed to get the statue to talk._

**4. Any suspicious behavior and/or comments are to be reported immediately.**

Sakura shivered at the thought.

_Hmm, the next one is faded, like it has been erased._ Sakura focused her eyes on the washed out text.

**5.** Uchiha Sasuke shall eat Raman. Everyday. Twice a day. And he must promise to treat the future hokage (aka me...I mean Uzamaki Naruto…) to a bowl after his sentence is served!

_Baka…_

The young woman quickened her steps as thunder began to boom. The compound was just beyond the freshest grocer in the village. Sakura decided she would stop to get Sasuke a few tomatoes.

OOO

"So I was thinking, wouldn't it be nice if I could just paint over the locker room wall instead of buffing all the crap off?"

There was going to be a murder…and the crime scene was not going to be pleasant.

Sasuke raised his hands and clasped them in front of his chest…

**Knock, knock**

Someone was at the front door. No matter. Chidori required only a few seals. He was fast enough…

Ox…rabbit… -"Ne, Sasuke-kun are you hear yet?"

The raven haired boy stopped mid-monkey.

_What the fuck._

Ono waddled his way over to the entrance of the Uchiha home. Once the husky guard opened the door, Sasuke peered over his shoulder to see Sakura standing on the other side, holding a bag. Wet.

_What is she doing here?_ Sasuke rose from his seated potion on the floor. _This better not be bothersome._

OOO

Sakura greeted Ono with a small smile. No matter how nervous she was, she couldn't help but be polite, "Hello, Ono. You may leave now. Tsunade-shishou has asked me to take over."

"Hoho," Ono boomed, "Sounds good to me!" The big man turned toward Sasuke, "See you, buddy!"

Sakura could hear Sasuke mumble a string of curse words, "Buddy my ass you…."

She pivoted to the side to allow the larger man to squeeze through the front entrance. Sakura looked to her left to see Sasuke begin to rise from his perch on the floor. His raven hair was tousled and slightly damp from the rain. His grey shirt was soaked and clinging to his lean form. In her efforts to remain level-headed (and sane), Sakura decided to watch Ono toddle off toward the Hokage tower.

_Of course he has to be so damn…appealing. It's like he was created to attract women. Bastard._

"Sakura," A shiver ran through Sakura for the second time that day; this time for a completely different reason. Hearing Sasuke's deep baritone voice speak her name gave Sakura that light-headed feeling she got when reading one of her romance novels.

"I-I was sent by Tsunade-Sama." God she sounded like Hinata.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, "What for?"

"Well, you will need a...an assistant of sorts." Sakura felt it was best to choose her words carefully. She never took Sasuke for the type who wanted to admit he needed help. She doubted using the word "caretaker" was the way to get Sasuke comfortable with the idea.

"And why, Sakura, would I need an 'assistant'."

"You cannot leave this compound. You will need someone to provided services such as grocery shopping and-"

"No."

_Well that was easy._

"Sasuke-kun, you cannot possibly go against Konoha law and expect to be freed. You must abide by the rules given."

"I will stay indoors. I, however, do not need a babysitter."

_Stubborn bastard._

Sakura was determined to get Sasuke to submit. She would have to use logic. This boy fed off that stuff. No matter how wacked out he may have acted in the past.

"You have just entered your home for the first time in 4 years. Your food supply is empty and you need to eat. I will only be here for a couple hours a day. It is a very reasonable arrangement."

"…"

_Almost there. Just a little push._

Sakura held up the bag that had been resting in her hands since the grocers.

Sakura saw Sasuke's onyx eyes dart to the tomatoes._ Ha, I've got this._ Sakura's confidence was bursting.

She pushed through the foyer and stopped in front of the only Uchiha survivor. Sakura placed the bundle into his chest and stalked past him, toward the kitchen.

"Good. Glad we've come to an understanding. Now let's see how much attention your pantry needs."

"Hn."

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><p><strong>AN: This story is based of the Enrique Iglesias song "Heartbeat". Yes..I love Enrique .**

**I hope to stay true to each character. Especially Sasuke. I want his development to feel natural as well as the development of his relationship with Sakura.**

**Naruto and other characters will make appearances for sure :) **

**Reviews are loved! They are great motivators! **


	2. I dont want to hear that sound

Disclaimer: Not mine Naruto is. Belongs to Kishimoto it does.

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><p><strong>I dont want to hear that sound of losing what I never found<strong>

Heavy rain patted against the high roofs of the Uchiha compound. Inside, Sakura sat on the wooden floor with various cans and boxes surrounding her.

"Well, it seems we have salvaged quite a bit, Sasuke-kun!"

Said Uchiha watched as Sakura smiled happily at canned food. What was wrong with her anyway?

Instead of pondering Sakura's sanity any further, Sasuke returned his attention to the steady rain.

"Okay, we now have a list of things to shop for." Sakura rose to her feet just as a loud crash of thunder boomed.

Sasuke looked down at the crumpled mess of arms and legs that were now strewn about his kitchen floor and crossed his arms.

Sakura did not appreciate the male's condescending gaze. It's not her fault she was in mid-standing position when the sound of thunder made her jump. She was sure that Sasuke was just as fine with thunder as he was with lightening. When she thought about it, Sasuke resembled his favorite elements so perfectly. Fire and lightening; fierce and so wonderfully captivating that one cannot help but marvel at its beauty.

Sakura began to feel that familiar heat pool to her cheeks.

_Enough. You're supposed to be helping him, not wasting time being being seduced by someone who's not even trying to seduce you!_

Sakura's time with Sasuke was precious. While she didn't want to rush his adjustment back into society, she prayed he would eventually feel the same unity with the village that she felt.

"So…when are you going shopping anyway?" Sasuke shifted uncomfortably in front of her. Apparently she had been zoning out on his face. Wonderful.

"Um, first thing tomorrow," Sakura paused, "Actually, I guess I should wait to shop after my shift ends at the hospital; so around 4pm. I'll be here around that time."

"Fine." Though that is what he said, Sakura could see Sasuke was anything but fine with situation.

Sakura was well aware that now would be the perfect time to leave. She could just saunter out the door and head back to her apartment to-

"I have some Dokudami Umami tea in my bag. I'll make some."

Okay, that just slipped out. Sakura really had had the intention of leaving as soon as her duty was complete: Gather the information needed in order to efficiently shop for food. That was it. The problem is that despite the tension in the room, Sakura couldn't help but want to be around the young Uchiha.

"Sak-"

"It's fine, really!" Sakura went to her bag and buried through it. She pulled out a glass jar containing tea leaves, grabbed the kettle from atop the stove and ran it under the faucet to remove the dust that accumulated over the time Sasuke had been away. Tsunade had sent a worker over before Sasuke's release to check on the plumbing and fix anything needing repair. The worker must have run the water through. Nothing but clean liquid came from the spout.

Sakura could see Sasuke move toward the table in her peripheral vision. He settled on his knees before the table and gazed stoically at the pounding rain.

It felt so good to simply be in the same room as the raven haired boy…but was boy the right word? While his features were still young, he was undeniably handsome. His presence alone sent the loveliest sensations through Sakura's being. It was something utterly addictive; something that made her sensitive to the fact that he was man and she a woman. This was nothing like what she felt at twelve years old. Now, at seventeen, being around him brought with it a whole new thrill and Sakura was sure that it was every bit as dangerous as he himself was.

OOO

Sakura sat a steaming cup in front of Sasuke. He looked up at her hesitantly.

Sakura chuckled_, _"It's okay. It's dokudami umami. The flavor is more savory than sweet, so you should like it."

At Sakura's assurance, Sasuke took the cup in his hands and took a small sip. Hmm, not bad. She was right. It had a nutty flavor as opposed to that fruity taste he strayed from. What was it called again?

"So, Sasuke-kun," Said Uchiha looked up from his cup to see his "assistant" starting at him, waiting to continue once she got his attention. "What are you going to do in this big house for all the time you'll be stuck here?"

To be honest, he hadn't given it much thought. I mean who really wants to think about being a prisoner in their own home?

"Probably train, meditate, do whatever will get me ready to take on missions when the time comes." _So that I can spend as little time in this village as possible_.

"Hmm," Sakura laughed lightly, "sounds like you."

"Hn."

Sakura sighed, there he goes again, speaking as little as humanly possible. Well, that would mean no speaking at all but whatever.

OOO

Sakura had taken up Sasuke's past time of staring at the rain. Really, what was so interesting about it?

Sakura turned her attention back to the boy-man-child…whatever the hell he was, and began to speak.

"Sas-," Sakura stopped. Sasuke was sitting with one knee underneath him and the other in front of his body while his hand was gripping the fabric of his pants. His jaw was taught and his whole body tense…but that was not what caught Sakura's attention. It was the brilliant red that filled his once onyx eyes. His gaze was penetrating, sending a jolt up Sakura's body and back down to the soles of her feet. These eyes consisted of a star shape with a three sided pin-wheel inside. Sakura had never seen this version of Sasuke's sharingun so closely before.

"Sas-sasuke-kun…are you okay?" His rigid posture had already answered that question.

Sasuke blinked and immediately settled into much more relaxed position, his eyes turning back into a steely black.

"…Sakura, I think you should leave…before the storm gets worse."

He was right of course. With all of this rain there was bound to be flooding. But how could she just leave now that this feeling of dread has washed over her? What had just happened? She had thought everything would be getting better. Now she could see the anger, the hatred that still seeped in Sasuke's bones. Hell, ten seconds ago his gaze alone made her feel it. She felt his rage and it scared her more than anything has ever scared her before.

"I guess, I should." she stood and looked down at the man before her. Sasuke hoisted himself up and walked toward the front entrance. Sakura gathered her things and followed in silence.

Sasuke opened the door and looked to Sakura. She quietly walked through the dark hall and stopped in front of him, her body facing the outside. She turned her head and stared up into Sasuke's onyx orbs.

Sasuke was slightly taken aback by the determination he found in her gaze but as always, kept his indifferent front.

"I will see you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun. Goodnight."

"Hn." Sasuke watched her walk out and down the front steps, putting her hood on to protect her from the rain. As he closed the door, he wondered what meaningless activity he would partake in now that he was alone; not that having company was any more interesting.

OOO

While it was true that Sasuke had lived in the Uchiha compound before he left four years ago, being back after all that time; everything felt just as raw as it had when he was a child and had to come back for the first time after the massacre.

The last remaining Uchiha walked through the halls of his home. He called it home, but it didn't feel like it. There was nothing but silence. The sound of his mother's soft humming, the loud footsteps of his father, the velvety, smoothness of Itachi's voice-they were all gone and now nothing was left but the ghost of a melody.

"Dammit!" Sasuke stared at his hand, shock evident on his features, as it was now seethed inside a hole in the wall. A hole he had made. Sasuke shook with grief. Everything was so fucked. He was stuck in a house that wasn't a home. He was stuck in a village that he had not wanted to be a part of. And he was stuck with these unbearable scars.

OOO

Sakura sat on her futon, a fluffy terrycloth blanket wrapped securely around her small frame. She had an open book in her lap and was staring at the white pages. As hard as she tried, Sakura could not let the image of Sasuke out of her head. He was so angry, so dark.

Sakura had assumed everything would be fine once Sasuke returned. She had hoped that life would settle into its perfect little routine; with Kakashi being late, with Naruto being loud, and with Sasuke being _there_.

But he wasn't. He wasn't there. He was somewhere dark and scary and hellish. Sakura let a small sob escape her mouth. She wanted to help him, but how could she ever hope to understand such an unhallowed place.

Should she report this behavior to _Tsunade-Shishou_? That would surly lead to horrible consequences. No. Sakura had to help Sasuke on her own. She has relied too heavily on others. This was Sasuke; the man she loved. It was her place to sooth him; her province to fix him when he is broken. Her will was there, it was strong. The only question that remained was how this determination would be unleashed. What could she possible do?

Sakura's eyes became heavy as she searched for answers. What to do… Green eyes closed and sleep overtook the young woman.

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><p><strong>AN:** I am so sorry it took me so long to post a new chapter! Okay, not to throw excuses at you, but I'm gonna throw excuses at you. There was the hurricane and then classes started and my laptop is no more. I have to use the home computer until I save some money up. Oh yea, then this woman I work with decided to just quit out of nowhere and I have to cover all her shifts from here until forever...or they train someone new which like never happens. Now I'm the only one who can work afternoons. Great. Well the money is flowing to get that computer once I pay of the car repairs...

Anyway, I should be discussing the story. So to answer some questions:

About Karin, she will not be in this story most likely. I mean I'm fine with her character but I just see little relevance in her presence since she no longer cares about Sasuke in the manga, so I can't really make her a love rival and there was never anything between her and Sasuke as it was.

I've made Sakura a caretaker because this really is the best way to get Sakura and Sasuke spending sufficient time together without it being OOC. It also puts Sasuke in a vulnerable position which makes things more interesting.

In the future, Sasuke and Sakura will be more interactive and chapters will be longer.

Sasuke is meant to very dark right now. I want him to be light enough to still work with but still emotionally damaged. I wanted him back in the village but not completely healed. I don't want Naruto to be the only one who "saves" Sasuke. Nor do I think he will be in the manga-still Sakura will get a much bigger role in his salvation than I think she will the manga.

And yes, Sasuke and Sakura have a hellz of a lot of sexual tension between them. Trust me it's in the manga. The way he said, "What's wrong, can't you handle it Sakura?" Damn, boy. Anyone else? No. Okay, moving on.

So if you anyone has questions just ask. If you want to know why I choose to convey something a certain way or anything of that nature.

Also, critiquing is welcomed. I am trying to improve after all.

I will update soon :)

Reviews would be much appreciated as they keep me motivated!


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